That Preppiest Schools List Is a Little Different This Year & Lilly Pulitzer Fabric Update

Once again, it is time to chat about HuffPo‘s (Huffington Post) annual list of “The Preppiest Schools“. Be advised however, that this year’s list is a bit different from previous compilations. From the story accompanying the list:

“Once upon a time, the prep was a variation of a traditionalist, East Coast-born, equestrian-riding, upper class WASP that attended a northeastern private university and boarding school before that. But the elusive noun is ever-changing, and nowadays members of this subculture are more defined by their attitudes than their creeds: If they play lacrosse, wear boat shoes, and bring a date to a football game, they’re preppy.”

Here is the portion that most directly explains the somewhat different makeup of this year’s schools:

“The attachment to traditional “old school” beliefs and attitudes isn’t necessarily there, just an outfit that makes ’em look like their parents own several yachts and a place on the Vineyard. We’re ringing in an age of the “New Prep.”

In other words, the parameters used to determine the schools have changed a bit. Here is a partial list from Lindsay Dittman’s story, along with selected portions of her writeups on each school (I don’t want anyone to think it is my writing, that is why I am underlining that):

#1) University of Virginia:  “At a school that refers to the quad as “the Lawn,” it’s no surprise that many of the frat and sorority houses are situated along “Rugby Road.”

#2) University of the South (Sewanee):  “There’s no denying that Sewanee is a school founded on tradition… According to the school’s website, “You can’t be on campus longer than a few minutes before you notice that Sewanee students are dressed up for class…””

#3) Miami University (Ohio):  “Referred to as “J. Crew U…”

#4) College of Charleston: “Name-checked in the original “Preppy Handbook,” this Charleston, South Carolina school contains a lot of pink and green and a lotof monograms. The Spring graduation tradition? Women wear white dresses and descend from the steps of Randolph Hall, the college’s oldest building, while the men wear white dinner jackets and wait in the Cistern yard.”

The College of Charleston photo via The Huffington Post

#9) Claremont McKenna: The description of this school explains ” The CEO of Abercrombie, Michael S. Jeffries, graduated from the school in 1966.” Our thought? Clearly Mr. Jeffries has a short memory, nothing Abercrombie sells could even remotely be referred to as preppy.

There are a few more surprises on the list this year (including a university picked as the “Preppiest College” in a Social Primer list), we recommend a visit to the Huffington Post to read the story in its entirety.

As you might imagine, the story has generated quite a few comments.  Many wonder about schools not on the list (i’m not sure *any* of the 2010 schools made the list), asking about Elon, Middlebury, Colgate, Vassar, etc., others talk about what is/isn’t preppy and unsurprisingly, there are a few comments about Abercrombie.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Also today, another update on the new Lilly Pulitzer for Lee Jofa fabric collection.  High Street Market has a lovely post about the collection, showcasing some of the just-released patterns.

Lilly Pulitzer for Lee Jofa via High Street Market

The Lee Jofa site now has images online, including some of the trims that go with the collection, we’ll call these today’s Pretty in Pink.

Although The Prepatorium isn’t currently slated for any kind of interior design redo, we do enjoy looking at all of the pictures.

Lilly Pulitzer for Lee Jofa

Lee Jofa has a scaled down version of the catalog available for online viewing as well.

On that vibrant note, we say goodbye until next time!

A German Take on Ivy Style, “The Prepicenter” & When Preppy Weds Hippie

Hello-Hello, and welcome to a Thursday here at The Prepatorium, where spring has been evicted by winter’s return. (Insert royal whineathon here.) Are you also experiencing the nasty weather in your corner of the globe? 

We have quite a few tidbits to share today and jump right in with a topic that is somewhat disconcerting, the April issue of Vogue Enfants.

Vogue.fr via Fashionista

Two different fashion sites have interesting perspectives on the magazine, published by Vogue France. The always-on-top-of-things-Fashionista has a column headlined “Things that Creep Us Out from the New Issue of Vogue Enfants“.

“On the whole, French Vogue supplement Vogue Enfants is a gem for parents and children alike.”

“But after reviewing the issue, Lauren, Leah and I all felt a little uncomfortable after looking at some of the images, both ads and editorials.”

Below, two pages from the magazine.

Styleite also writes about this month’s issue:

“We know this is Vogue — and a supplement of Vogue Paris at that — but when we think of our childhood we think of smiling faces and candy and finding ways not to eat cauliflower, not giving a photographer the perfect pouty stink eye or looking malcontented.”

“They just look angry. And they shouldn’t. Because they’re six. If fashion magazines can do stuff like this to kids, it’s no wonder they can’t get it right when it comes to grown women.”

Two more images.

Back to the Fashionista story by Steff Yotka:

“Maybe we don’t get it because of our Puritan mentality (Vogue Enfants is French after all but then again TLC puts out a popular show called Toddlers and Tiaras), or maybe it’s that seeing children modeling like they’re adults–adults who are supposed to be sexy–is just plain unsettling.”

Well then, mark us down as puritanical as well, we agree with the concerns articulated by both stories, particularly when looking at the makeup on that beautiful girl in the cover shot.  But we should also point out that while Vogue France doesn’t need us to defend it (there’s a concept), we must acknowledge seeing many other publications showcasing little girls with inappropriate clothing and makeup, this is not the first time a glossy fashion publication has prompted us to express a fervent wish that little girls be allowed to be little.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Next, another look at prep style, this time from Germany.

Via Ivy Style

Our friend Christian over at Ivy Style posted about this earlier in the week; we thought readers might enjoy a glance at some of the images.

Via Ivy Style

The feature is from a magazine published by German retailer Breuninger. More images are also available at Fashionisto, we leave you with these two shots.

Via Fashionisto

We have one more editorial spread to share with you, this one from Virginia Living. We are fortunate to have spotted a post on this at The Classic Preppy.

Cade Martin/Virginia Living

The photos by Cade Martin are beautiful, lush and rich. The majority of the piece was shot at a place close to the hearts of many friends, Sweet Briar (where yours truly almost went, in part because the school colors are pink & green).  From the feature:

“We had fun shooting this story at Sweet Briar College with students and faculty, and some friends from nearby Hampden-Sydney College—Virginia’s “Prepicenter.”

Another stunning photo from the story.

Cade Martin/Virginia Living

The talented Whit at Worthy Style also has a look at the story, or click here to visit Virgina Living.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The upcoming marriage of Lauren Bush and David Lauren receives an interesting treatment in The Post, the paper’s Page Six magazine “When Preppy Weds Hippie“.

New York Post

The piece attempts humor at the blending of cultures and backgrounds, although when reading it a third and fourth time in an effort to write about it for you, it just felt flat. More forced than funny, as if an editor said “We *are* running this, you *will* finish it, and it *will* be funny.” (Having been on both ends of that kind of conversation, we can only confirm that it happens. More often than we care to remember.)  At any rate, if you pop over to look at the illustrations, do let us know your thoughts, our expiring little mind is dying to know if you found it humorous or humorless. (And while you are there you may enjoy a gossipy little story “Leader of the Snob Mob” about the Native Society, certainly not a new topic, it has been covered extensively by other media, but still a fun read.)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

In today’s not-so-delightful news, it looks like those of us obsessed with fond of Mad Men may be waiting a little longer to see our favorite ad agency back on the air; more from this story in the Times:

“Fans accustomed to spending their summer Sundays with Don Draper may have to wait a while longer. It looks increasingly likely that the fifth season of “Mad Men,” the three-time Emmy Award-winning AMC series, will not have its debut until late 2011 or early 2012.”

AMC-TV

Brian Stelter’s story also points out:

“Money often causes strife between program creators and distributors, but rarely do the negotiations drag out this long.”

Harrumph.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

We leave you with something much cheerier, today’s Pretty in Pink.

Lilly Pulitzer Picture perfect Espadrille

That is the Picture Perfect Espadrille at Lilly Pulitzer, it shrieks spring, and we need a touch of that today.

Until next time, may the sun be shining for you and yours.

Lacoste Home Collection, Greek Life at one Ivy League Campus, Gwen Stefani Does Uniforms!

As the Princess and the Princess Consort are heading away from the Palace for an extended weekend, and the household staff doesn’t do posts, this one is a bit of what we used to call an “evergreen’ in the broadcasting industry, meaning it was always ‘green’ or good to go, not dated in anyway.

So we’ll start with a little update on Lacoste’s plans for its Home Collection, which is expanding on its still fairly new collection.  The growth is being driven by Philippe Lacoste, yes, son of company founder René Lacoste.

Some readers may be familiar with the two collections: the Club Collection with a more upscale emphasis and the Casual collection using brighter, more vibrant colors and featuring lower price points.  Above, the Cocoon bedding collection, and below we show the Madras Bedding Collection, both at Belk’s.

Trade journal Home Textiles Today reports Lacoste will start putting things like the single-unit golf and tennis towels in gift packaging and marketing them to golf clubs, spas, pro shops, etc. Additionally the Bath line which initially only included towels and rugs will expand to things like robes and gift items for the beach.

And perhaps most importantly for those of us disinclined to spend oodles of time at the local department store when considering bedding (and even less when traveling, preferring to peruse apparel and accessories if one is shopping), there will be a dedicated Lacoste Home website, a serious need as of this writing.

Moving on, those curious about Greek life in Hanover need only look at the Dartmouth Review for some insight. A couple of different articles talk about sorority/fraternity life on campus, albeit not in an entirely objective fashion. Monday’s “The Greeks Shall Inherit the Earth: Pen-Portraits of College Social Life” is rather entertaining, with fascinating commentary; some will provoke fond feelings of recognition for the traits attributed to specific organizations while other comments may cause irritation if they are not in sync with one’s personal perspective.

The Princess is using the Tri-Delt’s garb only because The Queen Mother was a charter member ‘back in the day’ at a MajorMidwesternUniversity (yes, that is all one word) and this mention will bring a smile to her face. BR as we see it. (Bloggage Perogative.) At any rate, Greek Life: A Freshman Girl’s Take by Katherine J. Murray is also enlightening, although probably not heart-warming for parents curious about Bitsy or Corbin’s first year on campus:

“My fridge was loaded with Jell-O shots and an oversized bottle of Malibu Rum. Wearing our very deadliest outfits, my new floor-mates and I assembled in my room to pre-game to the tune of “I Kissed a Girl.”’

Let’s all remain calm, it is merely one person’s experience, correct? Indeed.

How is this for a closing note? Word that pop star turned designer Gwen Stefani will be designing the uniforms you will see female bartenders wearing when you are having a cocktail at W Hotel’s upscale Gerber bars. The bars’ name comes from Rande Gerber, described as a ‘nightlife entrepreneur” on the Gerber Group’s website. Here is a glance at a sketch for the uniforms.

They will be made in a knit jersey, and they are black, not really evident in the sketches, probably because that color would not have shown the seam detailing on the dresses. Ms. Stefani, founder of the L.A.M.B. label says she wanted to uniforms to be “…sexy and comfortable…” no small feat for any creation. We don’t know your reaction, but we are holding our breath in anticipation of the men’s uniforms.

Until we next meet…